To Assess Knowledge Regarding Tuberculosis and its Associated Factors with Treatment Non-Adherence Among Pulmonary TB Patients at Kotri

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary Tuberculosis has been a significant worldwide health issue, as there are still high rates of non-adherence to treatment. This paper will examine socio-demographic and knowledge-related, interruption by drugs, and systemic elements that affect TB adherence in low-income rural communities, and the goal is to understand the gaps and provide an effective patient-centered approach.

Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using a quantitative approach among 212 TB patients registered at a Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) center in Kotri, Sindh, Pakistan. Data were collected on demographics, socio-economic status, knowledge about TB, and self-reported adherence levels. Statistical analyses, including Chi-square tests, were applied to assess associations between adherence and selected variables.

Results: The majority of participants (86.8%) demonstrated low (44.3%) or medium (42.5%) adherence, while only 13.2% achieved high adherence. The mean age of participants was 43.69 ± 10.2years. Age did not show a significant relationship with adherence; however, non-adherence was strongly associated (p < 0.001) with male gender, marital status, low education, reduced family income, and rural occupation. Additionally, systemic barriers such as inadequate follow-up and lack of counseling significantly contributed to poor adherence.

Conclusion: The findings highlight that socio-demographic, economic, knowledge-related, and systemic challenges are strongly linked to poor TB treatment adherence. Addressing these through community-based, patient-centered interventions focusing on financial support, improved access to care, and enhanced health education is essential to improve adherence and reduce TB-related morbidity and mortality in high-burden regions such as Kotri, Sindh, Pakistan.